


The Carnival Date

by CyborgWrites



Series: IronHusbands with Gellibean [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aunt Peggy, First Dates, First Times, Fluff, M/M, Meeting the Family, Prequel and sequel type deal, Rhodey is the fucking best, Rhodey's mom ♡, Tony is loved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 11:59:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11828295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyborgWrites/pseuds/CyborgWrites
Summary: Rhodey meets Edwin Jarvis.





	The Carnival Date

There was something James Rhodes loved about carnivals.

The food, the lights, the games, the rides, the kind of magic in the atmosphere... but the best thing was usually the company. They weren't the type of thing you went to by yourself.

He just never expected to find himself going with Tony fucking Stark.

His roommate was nice enough, nicer than he thought in fact for a rich white kid. And he was smarter than anyone at MIT, squashing the rumors that he'd only been accepted because of daddy Stark's money. 

James chanced a glance at the other boy, noting the expression of wonder on his face. 

"You act like this is the first time you've been to a carnival," he said.

Tony flushed trying to play it off with a smirk.

"Well..."

James stopped in his tracks.

"No way."

Tony crossed his arms defensively.

"What, Rhodes?" 

"It is your first time! That's p-"

"Pathetic I know," Tony grumbled, pouting.

James shook his head, smiling.

"I was gonna say it's precious. I'm glad I'm the person you decided to come to the carnival with for your first time."

"You'll be my first for a lot if I have anything to say about it," Tony muttered, heart fluttering as he watched his crush take interest in one of the games, a ball toss.

"Sorry what was that?"

"I- I said there's a first time for everything."

"Right, do you wanna check out the-" James stopped, frowning. "Hey, Tony?"

"Yeah?" 

"There's an old guy in a suit staring at us on your 6".

Tony turned around, his face shifting from apprehension to fondness and finally annoyance.

"Oh, seriously?" He hissed.

"You know him?"

"Oh, yeah."

"So who is he?"

Tony sighed.

"My butler, Jarvis."

"Your..."

James sighed.

He had grown accustomed to the idea of rooming with a rich kid but Tony made it easy to forget about it. But there were moments- moments like this, where it slapped James in the face that he was dealing with someone who was in the 1 percent.

As he thought about this he barely registered Tony pulling him along toward the older man.

"Just... be cool. If anyone in my family is going to let us have any fun it's J."

_Wait... J? He thinks of this guy as family?_

"Jarvis."

"Anthony."

"Why are you following me? We agreed I could take care of myself."

"Yes, as far as Mr. Rhodes is concerned. However, you are still a Stark and past experience has proven that you are prone to getting kidnapped."

James gave Tony a look of concern. 

"Kidnapped?"

Jarvis nodded, seeming unphased at the topic.

"Young Anthony has escaped or been rescued each time but I like to take preventative measures where possible- say in a very public, very crowded setting."

"Like a carnival," said James.

Jarvis nodded. "I would rather Anthony enjoy his time with you than look over his shoulder for possible attackers. That is after all, part of my duties."

James arched a brow at the older man.

"How are you gonna fight off kidnappers?"

Finally, Jarvis smiled as if sharing a secret with him.

"You will find that I'm no ordinary butler, Mr. Rhodes."

"James is fine," he said, eyeing the butler warily.

Jarvis' smile shifted into something more genuine, his eyes smiling with him.

"James it is. Anthony speaks quite highly of you."

Tony groaned. "Jarvis, please..."

James smirked.

"Does he now?"

"Indeed. More than he has of anyone," he said.

"Okay, we're going now," Tony said, grabbing James' hand again and pulling him away from his meddling butler and toward the ferris wheel.

Tony silently guided them toward the line and they were soon directed into a gondola. They sat across from eachother in silence, staring out at the lights of the Boston skyline.

Finally, James cleared his throat.

"Are you embarrassed?" 

"No," Tony whispered.

James grinned.

"Well good. Because I'm flattered. You really think I'm the best thing since sliced bread?"

Tony shook his head.

"No, better. You're the best thing since the first engine. Best thing since the first computer. Best thing since-"

James had already gotten up to silence him with a kiss, situating himself in Tony's lap.

Tony gasped into it, relaxing after a moment and kissing back with enthusiasm.

"I like you, too," he whispered against Tony's lips.

Tony smiled, a breathless laugh spilling out of him.

"Well I hope so. Unless you kiss all the rich geniuses with overprotective butlers like that."

James shook his head.

"Just one," he said, kissing him again.

When they came back to earth, they decided to try the ball toss. James was in it for the challenge of winning.

"These things are rigged, Tony. Rigged."

"Isn't everything?"

"You right. But I'm still beating this thing out of spite."

Tony just wanted the giant teddy bear.

By the end, James and Tony did in fact beat the game, much to the chagrin and shock of the barker who grudgingly handed over their prizes. Tony got his teddy bear and James got a dragon because "I was on fire, Tony. On fire!".

Jarvis offered to drive them back to Cambridge and it was the first time James had ever ridden in a limo. 

"This is... cool," he said.

Tony chuckled.

"It's okay I guess..."

James shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You know..."

"Hm?"

"I think I'm gonna give him a name," he said, gesturing to the bear taking up one of the passenger's seats. They'd put seatbelts on their prizes. They had to protect the merchandise.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, I was thinking Honey Bear...."

"Nope. You're not  reducing our stuffed bear son to Winnie the Pooh stereotypes, Christopher Robin. Not having it."

"Oh so now he's _ours._ "

"Yep. And I'm not letting Rhodes Junior carry out the rest of his life being associated with Honey. And don't go calling him Baloo eith-"

"Rhodey then."

"Huh?"

"I'll call him Rhodey."

_Holy shit._

"I- yeah- I mean no- I mean cool. That's um... good? Great."

Tony smiled, leaning against the huge, soft bear.

"Rhodey it is." 

James melted at the sight.

_I... am so fucked._

And if he secretly named his Dragon Antonio...

Tony would never know.

It was past midnight when they made it back to the dorms and Jarvis helped them out of the car, even helping Tony carry the bear up the stairs as Tony recounted the events of the "epic" ball toss to his butler.

James noticed how comfortable they were with each other and how Jarvis gave Tony his undivided attention.

When it was time for him to go, Tony wrapped the old man in a tight hug and Jarvis ruffled Tony's hair in response. 

"I'll be around, Anthony. Goodnight."

"Night, J."

"Goodnight, James."

"Oh, um, goodnight sir."

He felt like he was talking to someone's dad.

"Jarvis, please."

James nodded. "Night, Jarvis"

And then he was gone and it was just the two of them. Or well... the two of them and their ridiculously sized stuffed animals.

Tony looked from the couch to James several times.

"So... wanna make out?"

James dropped Antonio on the floor, pulling Tony down with him onto the couch.

"Yeah let's do that," he said.

They were late to class the next day but it was totally worth it.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry if this is shit. I couldn't sleep and I needed Ironhusbands fluff. I really love the fuck out of these two so I'm making it a multichapter fic.


End file.
